Feeding mechanism for printing presses



March 30,1926. 1,578,329

' M. LIPTON El Al;

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRE S SES Filed June 21, 19 22 SSheets-Sfiget 1 R Y N V NToR Z 5 1v flu ATTORNEY-9 March 30,1926. 1,578,329

M. LIPTON ET AL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1922 HIM & *f NVEIV OR wad *1 1 it; A TTOR NE Y5 March 30 1926. 1,578,329

M. LIPTON E'I-AL FEEDING MECHANISI FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed June 21,-1922 s Sheets-Sheet s MarCh 30 1926. I M. LIPTON T AL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed June 21, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 'U 1 I v I 37 MIIII-;; l. L LW I. I I V a:

fie/r A TTOR NE Y3 March 30 1926.

M. LIPTON ET AL. FEEDING mzcmmsm FOR PRINTING missss Filed June 21, 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 5 MW 1. a m M H1 w .w. 0 O J 0. I" M Patented Mar. 30, 1926.

MO RIS Llrzron, or RUTHERFORD, Louis HAENL IN, 'o Easr' RUTHERFORD, Ann 7 FREDERICK w. (HILL, OF RUTHERFORD. vImzvv aERsEY,fAssrenoRsmo THE FUCHS v V & LANG 'mannracronmeco vrran A ICORPORATIGN or EW 0RK.'

FEEDI G MECHANISM oR'rR-Iirrme RR SSES,

Application fi-led June 2 1, 1922; Serial Nb. 570,002.

To all whom concern; I

Be itlrnown that We, Monnrs LIPTON, a citizen of Russia (who has taken out first United States papers), and LOUISHAENLE N and FREDERICK WV. HILL, citizens of the United States, residents, respectively, of city of Rutherford, county of Bergen, State of 'New Jersey, city of East Rutherford, county I I of Bergen, State of New Jersey, and city'of Rutherford, county of Bergen, State of New Jersey, have invented certainnew 'anduseful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Printing Presses, of which following is a peCificati0n i I I the printing press that a work-sheet of any given length, within certain limits, may be started in its course of travel into the machine at the proper instant to insure its transferal to 'the impression cylinder thereof. 1

- Another object ofy'the invention is to pro I vide a generally improved intermittently actuated mechanism for so lifting a stack of work-sheets s'tep-by-step that the uppermost work-sheets may be so positioned as to enable the operator to easily start the same on its travel into the-machine.

A further object of the'invention is to provide a simple and reliable means for lifting and lowering the supporting table for the work-sheets in combination with automatically actuated means for controlling the lifting and lowering means, whereby the table is permitted to travel only to predetermined posit-ions in its upward and downward movementrespectively. I

Other objects and certain advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with "the to printingpresses accompanying drawings, in which, f' v' I r. n Figure 1 is a sideelevation ofthe machine embodying ourinvention.

Figure'Q is a front elevation: of the ma 'Cl'1lI1.". Y 1

Figure 3 I is a fragmental side elevation of a fr ct on drive and releasing-- mechanism therefor? Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line #f-l-ofF1gure3. -F1gure 5 1s a view 1n elevatlonof a fric-- tion pulley showing the same in driving engagement ment, 1, wF1gure'6 is a fragmental plan viewof-an ad ustable feed. table having certain coop erative .feed' elements associated therewith;v Flgure 7 is a sect onal-mew taken on line 7 -7 ofFigure2; Y I

. Figure 8 is a sectionalview taken ion line 8'8'of.Figure 6.-

g y f Figure 9 is a fragmental -plan view of-Ya PATENT; other,

with acoo'p rative driving elev work tahlelifting and lowering mechanism.

Figure 10 is a sectional viewta-ken online i j I Figure 11 is 'a' sectional view taken on line .F'gure 12 isaperspectivegview of clutch I actuatingtl'ever and a cooperative, pawl: re: leasing 'elementl 1 In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of 'Yilllus'trati'osm-is shownwhat we :at present I consider the preferred form'of our inven I tion, the numeral 5 indicates a lease ahaving vertically'rd1sposed SIClB members 6, whlch are adapted to support-various cooperatlve elements of the machine hereinafter more particularly described.

The frame 5, above mentioned, constitutes f operating pinions 20, are provided,- in iorder of which is indicated by the numeral 8, which the printing machine.

fingers are adapted to be so actuated as to grip the work-sheets as they are successively 'fed into'the printing machine.

In order that the-several cooperative elements of the apparatus embodying our in- 'vention may function 1n a properly timed relation-the impression cylinder? isadapted to be so geared to; a horizontally disposed shaft 9 carried, by the side'members 6 that agearl ratio ofone to one is maintained between the impression-cylinder 7 and shaft, 9, to which is suitably connected at sprocket 10, and an operating cam 11. The cam 11 is 7 adapted to cooperate with a bell-crank lever 12,'to the upper'end of which is pivotally connected a link 13, which in turn is suitably connected with a reciprocating slide 14, car rying feed fingers 15, adapted to be so moved as to carry the-fwork-sheets successively into under all conditions moves a-fiXed or givendistance foreach. revolution of thecam 11 the feed fingers are therefore,"adjustably mounted upon the slide in order'thatiwork,

' sheets of various lengths may be fed tothe impression cylinderin such a timed relation thereto as to enable ,the gripping fingers 8 to engage the forward ends thereof.-

Upon the base 5, at the rear thereof, there islarranged a truck 16, having vertically disposed si'de members 17, the'upper endsjof (which are connected to overlying frame members 18, through which extends a rotatable shaft'19. Tothe ends'of theshaft 19 7 7 there are secured a pair. of pinions 20,-adapt ed to mesh with a pair of ofihori'zontally disposed racks2l, carried by the frame memher- 6. These racks, together" with their that a longitudinal adjustment of the truck 16 may be made, by rotating the shaft- 19 through the instrumentality of a' suitable w instrument or wrench, which maybe applied to the squared ends 22 of the shaft.

To one ofthe frame members 18,ithere-is suitably connected:- an apron 23,. which is adapted to be moved in eitheronedirection orthe 'otherwhenthe truck'16 is moved .through the instrumentality of the pinions 20 and racks 21;; To the apron 23 there is connected a supporting plate 24, by means of bolts 25', uponwhich are mounted idler sprockets 26, arranged in direct alignment with-a driving sprocket 27 ,carried by a shaft 28, which is passed through and supported by both the apron 23 and the support ing plate 24. This shaft carries, at its outer end, a pinion 29, which is adapted to mesh with a-spur gear 30, which gear,in turn,

meshes with'a smallergear 31, suitably connected to a shaft 32, to which is connected a horizontally disposed feed roller33. The

shaft 32 carries a relatively small pinion 34,

I which in turn meshes with a spur gear 35 Since the slide 14" carried by a horizontally disposed shaft 36,

at its free end a roller 41, adapted to co operate'with a cam 42, which ,is carried by asshaft 43.. 'This shaft is suitably supported with respect to the apron 23, and carries the spur gear 30,;which is operably connected to the cam 42. It is obvious that as the gear 30 is operated, thefeed-roller 33and theshaft I 36 are'simultaneously rotated, and that, due

to the coaction betweenthe. cam 42 andthe. arm 40, the-shaft '36, together with the friction discs, 37, will be intermittently lifted and lowered with respect'to the feed roller It might be remarked that the oscilla-i toiymovement of the. shaft 36 is soslight' thatthe gears\ 34 and 35,areper nitted,at all times, to remain in mesh. 7 To a pair of up-stand1ngar1ns44, there is suitably journaled a, horizontally disposed shaft 45, to whichare connected a'plurality vof'stop fingers 46, adapted to maintain such and the friction discs 37, when the shaft 36 is inits uppermost position, as to enable the operator to solntroduce the, work-sheets be tweenthe feed roller 33 and friction discs;

3711s, to insure their being properly started in their course of traveliinto the machine In, this connection, it'might be stated that when the shaft 36, is in its lowermost posi tion, the fingers 46 are: lifted with respect thereto, and when the shaft, 36 is in its uppermost position the fingers 46 are main? tained in their. lowermost positions, and in order to insure the. properrespective move ments between the shafts 36 'and45, we have provided a segmental gear 47, which'is car-..

ried at one end-of the shaft 39; and adapted to mesh with a correspondingsegmental gear 'shaft45. It is'obvious that when the shaft 39 is so moved through the instrumentality of the arm 40 as to lift the shaft 36, the shaft 45, by reason of the intermeshing segmental gears 47 and 48, will be so moved as to lower the fingers 46, and that when the shaft 39 is so moved as to lower the shaft 36, the shaft will be so moved asto lift the fingers 46 To the inner end of the shaft28 there is 43, carried by the correspondingend of the v suitably connected a frictiondriving wheel 49, which is adapted to coactwith a friction pulley 50. This friction pulley is rotatably mounted upon an eccentric bushing 51 carried by a stub shaft 52, which'is eccentrically connected to a pin 53, carried within a boss 54, provided bythe supporting plate 24. The pin 53 is adaptedtobe retained in positions with respect to the feed roller 33 9 a given position by means ofa nut 55 carried thereby and is provided with a shoulable to make this adjustment, for the reason that it becomes necessary from time to time to compensate for any wear upon either the driving wheel 49 or the friction pulley 50. r

The eccentric bushing 51 is provided, at its outer end, with an operating arm 58, which in turn is pivotally connected to a link '59.

This link isi-n turn pivotally connected to a hell-crank lever 60, adapted to he'actuated through the -instrurnentality of an operating link 61 by a suitable mechanism hereinafter more particularly descnhed. It is apparent that when the hell-crank lever 60 isfpositioned, as shown in Figure 8, the pulley 50 is maintained out of contact withthe driving wheel 49, and that driving engagement between the pulley 50 andthe driving wheel 15) It ishi'ghly important that the "cam 421x! driven at'the same speedas the spr cket 10, and 1n j order to accomplish this proper relative speed the sprocket 27 is ofsuch a size'as plete -one-third revolution upon each. revoluf tion of the sprocket 27. By s connecting the shaft 48 with the shaft 9 that the cam 42 is caused to make one complete revolution for each revolution of theshaftfi, it

follows that the shaft 36, with its discs 37, is lifted and lowered upon each frevolua tion of the cam 42, and that a cimilaroperation of the lingers lovis aiiorded. It will be appreciated alsoth-at. the feeder fingers are caused to complete a cycle of operation'for each rotation of the shaft 9. Since the position ofthe slide 14, with respect to the grippinlg'. fingers 8, is under all conditions the same for any given position of the impression cylinder 7 it becomes neces sary, as hereinbefore explained, to adjust the lingers 15 upon the slide 1 1- to 'accom'modate work-sheets of var ous lengths and: when such adgustmentas'made it becomes necessaryto so time the operation ;.of the arm l0 with respect to thefeedmg lingers 15 is maintained when the bell-crank lever 60" that the worksheets may heso fed, under the.

is retained in the position show in Fiigurefi. In order to retain the bell-crank lever 60 in either ofthe positions shown in Figures 3 and 5, we-have provided a tension spring 62, which is suitably connected at one end to the link 59 and-'at-its opposite end to the stud 63, upon which the bell-crank lever 60 is mounted. In moving the-belicrank'lever 60 from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown .in Figure 5, the pulley 50 is brought into driving engagementwith the driving Wheel 49, immediately prior to that instantwhen the spring 62 as-' sumcs its extended position, which driving engagement is n'iaintained even after the link 59 and hell-crank lever 60'have been snapped,

underthe influence of the spring 62, to their respective positions, shown in Figure 5. It is apparent that in moving the bell-crank lever from the position shown in Figure .5 to the position shown in Figure 3, the drivi'ng'engagementbetween the pulley 50 and the driving wheel 49 is maintained even until the spring 62 has assumed a position" on the opposite side of the pivotal connection between the link 59 and the bell-crank lever 60. V p

In order to'operatively connect the shaft 28 and 43 with the shaf't i), we have provided a sprocket chain 6 1, which is passed over the sprocket 10, and an adjustable sprocket 65, carried by one of the frame members 6. his sprocket chain-in turn is maintained in engagement with the'idler sprockets 26 and the drivingsprocket 27.

influence of the roller 332and discs 37,.as to cause them to drop in front of the feeding fingers 15 after the slide has been moved to its rear most position and prior to the time it starts forward. In order to time the operation of the arm 4c0'with respect to the feedinlg. fingers15, it becomes necessary only to adjust the truck 16, through the instruv -mentality of the pinions 20 and racks .21,

to a position corresponding to-the length of the work-sheets which are to be. fed. I'f, for example, a stack "of relatively 'shortwor sheets are to be fed intoth'e machine, the truck 16 is moved forwardly, asa result of which the cam 42 is moveld in the direction of the arrow A, shown thereon. By so changing the relative position of the cam 42 with respect to thearm 4cO,it follows that the feeding of the sheet is started later with respect to a given position of the feeding fingers 15 than if thetruck 16 were moved in the opposite direction. If a stack of longer sheets are to he fed into the machine, it'becomes necessary to'move' the ,trnck1'6 away from the feeding fingers 15, by which movement the cam'42 ismoved in the direction of the arrow B shown thereon to an advanced-position; By 'so adjusting the position of the cam 42 with respect tothe Since the inder 7,v is allowed to remain at rest for about one-eighth a revolution of the shaft, 9,

V due tothe peculiar shape of the cam 11, the

adjustment of the cam 42 with respect to the arm 40 may be so made as to cause any desired leng'thof work-sheet, within certain limits, to fall'directly in front of the fingers 15, while the same is at' rest. After the sheet is dropped 'in-front of the fingers 15,

it is thereafter so moved, under all condi-' tions into agiven position with respect to thelmpression cylinder 7, as to insureits being'gripped by the gripping fingers 8 at .thezproper instant. Uponsome appropriate portion of the machine, a suitable scale may be arranged to indicate the proper position 1 to which the truck 16 is to be moved in order to effect a desired adjustment of the cam 12 to facllitate the accurate feeding of agiven size work-sheet, and likewise asuitable scalemay lee-provided to determine'or facilitate proper adjustment of the fingers 15 upon the slide 14;.

At the rear ofthe frame there-is arranged a support-66, which includes a hub.

portion 67 having anlgularly disposed arms 68, which at their-ends are provided with guide roller plates 69, carrying guide rollers 70, adapted to operate within channels71 These Q formed in the side members 17. rollers, together with similar rollers 72, serve to guide the support 66, when the same is being moved either upwardly or downwardly, by suitable mechanism hereinafter more particularly described. The support 66 also includes a plurality ofirollers l2 which are adapted to receive a'iremovable table 73, upon which a stack of work-sheets may be arranged, the 'r0llersfbeing provided in order to enable the table to be easily transferred to the, support. After the work-sheets havebeen relieved fronr the table 73, the

same may be removed to permit the introduction of another, table carrying another stack of work-sheets,

Within the hub portion of the support a 66, there is rotatably.mounted an internally screw-threaded sleeve 74, which is provided at one end withajhead 75and at its-opposite GIlClWltll a gearu76, adapted to mesh 7 with a cooperating gear'78', secured to the end of a shaft 79, which is adapted to be manually operated through'the instrumentalit'y of a suitable handle, not-shown, when it is desired to lower or elevate the support 66 by hand. In order that the sleeve 74 may be rotated within the hub 67 as easily as fpossible, we have provided ball-bearings 80,

engagement with the open end of the. shaft 81, cooperate with a shoulder 85,, formed therein. The shaft '83 at its lower endis suitably connected with a relatively-large beveled gear 86, adapted to, mesh with-a relatively small bevel gear 87, suitably connected to a shaft 88, to the outer end of which is connected a ratchet wheel 89. This ratchet wheel, together withwthe shaft 88,-. is adapted to be intermittently rotated to lift the support 66, through the instrui'nentality of apawl 90, which is pivotally connected to an oscillatory arm' 91, suitably connected, as by means of a link 92, to the cam '42. As

' with a head 84, adaptedto operate within; V and 7 the cam 42'is rotated, the arm 91 is oscillated, thereby intermittently rotating the shaft'88 to lift the support 66. When the support '66 is in its lowermost position, the shaft 83 will first turn with respect to the shaft 81, and after the head 8 1 has been'i'novled into engagement with the shoulder 85, theshafti 8 1 is locked with respect to the shaft 83 and is rotated therewith, as the result of fwhich 9 1 sleeve 7t'and theshaft ,81 is afforded, there- 1 i by causing the support 66 to be lifted. The

a co-ractionr between" the screw-threaded order in which the shafts 81 and 83' are 1 rotated is due to the fact that the friction between the shafts 81 and 83 is less than the friction between the shaft 81and'sleevei7 i;

For the purpose of msurmg a positive,

dis-engagement betwee'nrthe pawl and its "cooperative ratchetwheel 89, when the sup-" port 66 reaches its maximum elevation, we have provided a 'pluralityof links 93,:which are connected to the support 66 and-to lug} 94, carried by a shaft 95,vjournaled"in suitable bearings 96, at the rear ofthe machine; The shaft 95 carries, atone end thereoha finger 97, adapted to be lifted so as to engage a pin 98 carried by the pawl 90; It is ap parent that when the supporti66 reaches a;

predetermined positionin' its upward movement, the several links 93 will be extended,: as shown in Figure 1, and will so rotate the shaft 95 against the influence of a coil spring 97, whereby the pawl 90 is freed from its cooperative ratchet wheel 98. e H

Inorder that the support 66 maybe quick-1 ly moved from its uppermost position to its lowermost position, we provide a pulley 100, which is carried by the shaft 88, and conneoted with the friction pulley 50 by means of a belt 101, which is maintained taut, under all conditions,'by a take-up idler 102 connected to an arm 103, mounted to oscillate upon the shaft 63. By depressing a lever 104, towhich the link 61 is connected, the friction pulley 50 is moved from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 5, in which position a driving engagement is afforded between the driv '99, carried thereby, as to lift the finger ingwheel 49 and th'e'friction pulley 50. As a result of this drivingengagementthe shaft 88 is so rotated as to; cause the; shaft 8.3V to r0;- tate with respect to the shaft Sluntil such time as the shaft 81 is. brought into engage-.- ment with the bevel gear 86. Upon engage ment of the shaft 81 with thegear 86, the two shafts 81 and 83 are locked with respect to each other, whereupon the shaft 81 is causedto'rotate within the, 'sleevef74 to enable the support 66, to be moved'to its lowermost position. The orderin which the shafts 81 and 83 are rotated is due to the fact that the friction between'thfe shafts 81 and, 83' is less than the friction between the shaft 81 and sleeve 74. V v H For the purpose of safety, it is necessary to disengage the pawl from its cooperative ratchetwheel' 89, when the lever 104 is depressed, and tofacilitate this disengagement, we provide thelever 104, with a hub 106, which carries a projection 10?, adapted to cooperate with a similar projection 10.8, carried by a clutch member 109, rigidly connected to the shaft 95.f After the lever 104 has been depressed a given distance, the lug 107 is moved into engagement with the lug 108 and upon furthermovementof the; lever 104, the'shaft 'isrotated against the, i111 fluencej'of the spring 99 a; suflicient' clistance to cause the finger 97 to move the pawl 90 out ofengagement with its cooperative ratchet wl1eel89. By the provisionof the lugs 104',

and 108,. it is apparent that the pawl 90 may be lifted free of its cooperative ratchetwheel 89 immediately prior to the" engagement of the friction pulley 50, withitsidriving; wheel 49, so that the shaft 88 is free to rotate when the driving connection is-establishedbetween the driving wheel 49: and the friction pulley For certain reasons it is desirable to pos-: itively lock the pawl 90 out of engagement with its cooperative ratchet wheel 89 when the lever 104 is depressed to a predeter mined positionfand to accomplish this posi tive locking of the'pawl 90out .of engagement with its cooperative ratchet wheel 89 we provide a lever 112 which is rigidly connected to the shaft 95 and adapted to; be moved therewith when the lever 104 is depressed; This lever is provided with" a stud 118 which is adapted to so coact with look;- ing finger 114 as to positively ;retain the lever 112 in its lowermost position, the finger ,114 being pivotally connected to a-bracket 11-5 and adapted to move under its own weight into locking engagement with the stud 118. It will be noted that the locking finger 114 is provided witha depression foot 116 by means of which the operator is en abled to readily disengage the locking fin ger 114 fromthe stud 113 when it is desired to resume the intermittent operation of the shaft 88 to effect a,.stepby-step movement of the support 66 in an upward direction. I

In order to limit the downward movement, without necessitating the attention of the operatonywe have pro,-vv

vided the hub 106 with; a, lip 117, WllglGihiS adapted t'ocoact with a depending pin 118- carried by the support 66,." Upon lowering the support X36 to a predeterm-ined- 'p'osi Lion, the pin118-is moved into-engagement with the hp 117 and upon further down.- ward movement ofth'exsupportf66, the lever 104 is lifted, thereby "moving the friction pulley 50 from the position shown in Fi'g- 'ure 5 to; the positionshown in FigureB with a snap action, caused by the influence ofa tension spring 62 upon the arm 58, which is connected to the eccentric bearingfhln What we claim is 0 Y 1. A feeding mechanism adaptedfor use in connection with aprin ting press, comprising a support adapted to receive there support 66 in its upon a stack of work-sheets, means forsn'c cessively feeding said sheetsinto-the-prinb ing press, intermittently actuated means for imparting .a step-by-step movement. to; said support in 'an upward direction, whereby said sheets are placedsuccessively in feeding positions, control means for discontinue ing the intermittent actuation of said inter-j mittently actuated means, reversmgmeans for 'reversmg'sald' interm ttently actuated means toureturn said support to'its lower- Vino st position, means'ad'apted to cooperate with said. control means fonautomatically V a limiting. the movement of? said support in an upward direction after'said supporthas reached a predetermined elevation,; and

means adapted to cooperate with: saidre. versing means for, automat cally CllSGOIlflIlflr ing thedownward movement, of said support after saidsupport has reached a predeter vmined position. 1 I,

2. A feeding mecha-msm adaptedfor use in connection with afprinting pr'es's,i-com pr s ng a support adapted to receive there upon a stack of work-sheets to be fed into the press, intermittently actuated means in-.

eluding a ratchet wheel and a pawl for lift ing said support whereby said sheets are brought successively into feeding positions,

control means including a pawl lifting-'devicefor discontinuing the intermittent movement of said'intermittently actuz'ttedv means, reversing means including a pair of rotat able friction elementsoneof which isadapted to be moved into engagement with the other I for reversing said intermittently actuated means to lower said support,- starting means:

direction after the same has reached a predetermined elevation, and means adapted to.

V cooperate with said starting means for automatically discontinuing the downward movement of said support after the same has reached a predetermiiiedposition. I

' .3. Afeeding-mechanismadapted for use in connection with a printing press, comprising asupport adapted to rece ve thereupon a stack of work-sheets to be' fed into the press,'intermittently actuated means in- "eluding a ratchet wheel and a pawl for lift ing said support'whereby said sheets are brought successively iiito'feeding positions, control means including a pawl lifting device for discontinuing the intermittent move ment of said intermittentlyactuated means,

reversing means including a pair of rotatable friction elements one of which is adapted to he ,moved into engagement with the other to reverse said intermittently actuated means and'therebyv lower said support, start ing means including a linkand a lever for moving one of said rotatable, elements into engagement with" the other to instigate the operation of said reversing means, means adapted to cooperate 'with said control means including a plurality of links sus- ,pended from said support for automatically '3 discontinuing the, intermittent movement of said intermittently actuated'ineans whereby the movement of saidsupport in anupward 7 direction islimited after the supporthas reached a predetermined elevation, and

' means including a 'bysaid support and'adapted to-engage said depending pin: carried lever whereby the operation of saidrevers- I ging means -is automatically discontinued after thesupport has reached apredetermined position in its downward "IHOVQIIIGIHL' LA feeding mechanism adapted to be used in connection with a printing press,

comprising a support adapted} to receive. thereupon astackof work-sheets, means for successively transferring said work-sheets into the press, intermittently actuated. means 7 for lifting said support whereby said sheetsare brought successively into feeding positions,-control means for discontinuingthe intermittent movement of said intermittentlyactuated means,.reversing means for reversing said intermittently actuated; means toreturn said support toiits lowermostposn.

tion, starting means adapted to be actuated to'instigate the operation of said reversing 7 means, means adapted to cooperate with said controlineans for lim ting the movement of said support in an: upward direction after the same has reached a predetermined elevation,and means adapted to cooperate with said starting. means for automatically discontinuing the downward movement of said support after the same has reached a predetermined position. i 1

5. feeding mechanism adapted to be used in connection with a printingpress,

comprising asupport adapted to receive thereupona stack of work-sheets, means for successively feeding said sheets into the printing machine, telescoping screw-threaded shafts, one of "said shafts being screwthreaded to said support and to theother of said shafts, and means for rotating said i shafts to elevate said support.

6. A feeding mechanism adapted to be used iii connection with a printingpress, comprising a support. adapted toreceive thereupon a stack of work-sheets, means for successivelyfeeding said sheetsinto the printing press, telescoping shafts screw-- threaded to each other andadapted to be rotated and cooperate with said support to move the same, and operable means for first rotating one of said screw-threaded shafts with respect to the other to effect a longi tudinal movement therebetween and move said support and for 1 thereafter rotating both of said shafts together to further move said support.

'YA feeding mechanism adapted to be used in connection with a printing press, comprising a support adapted to receive thereupon a stack of work-sheets, means for successively feeding said sheets into the printing press, telescoping. screw-threaded shaftsadapted to be rotated and cooperate with said support to move the same, operable means cooperating with sa d screwthreaded'shafts whereby'the same are so actuated as to effect an upwardmovement of said support to bring the work-sheets successively into feeding positions, and

means for so actuating; said screw-threaded shafts as to effect a'return of'said' support to'itslowermost position.

.8. A feeding mechanism adapted to be used'in connection with a printing press, comprising a support adapted toreceive thereupon a stack of work-sheets, means for successively feedingsaidi' sheets into the llf printing press, a pair of shafts screw- 9. A feeding mechanism adapted to be lit used in connection with a printing press,

comprisingza. support adapted to receive thereupon a stack of work-siheets, means for successively feeding said 'sheets into the.

printing press, a pair-of shafts screwthreaded to eacli;.,other;aiid adapted for rotatable and longitudinal movementwith respect to each other, said shafts being associated with said support, means for-rotating one of said shafts to elevate said support, means adapted upon movement of one of said shafts with respect to the other to lock said shaftstogether whereby said support is further elevated, and means for effecting a. reversal in the movement of said shafts to return said shaft to its lowermostiposition. p

10,. A feeding mechanism adapted to used in connection. with a printing press, comprising a support. adapted to receive thereupon a stack of work-sheets, means for successively feeding said sheets into the printing press, telescoping shafts screwthreaded to each other and adapted to be rotated and'cooperate with said support to move the same, and operable means for. firstrotating one of said screw-threaded shafts with respect to the other to effect a longitudinal ,movement therebetween and. move operating with said support and adapted tobe so rotated as to move sa d support 111 an upwardly direction whereby said sheets are brought successively into feeding posi tions, driving means for said shaft includmg a driving element, a driven element, means for operatively connecting l11Cl'CllS connecting saiddriven element with said driving element, and spring tension means adapted upon the operation of the last named means to respectively effect a snap movement of said driven element into our gagement with said driving element and vice versa.

12. A feeding mechanism adapted to be used in connection with a printing press, comprising a support adapted to receive thereupon a stack of work-sheets, means for successively feeding said she-ets into the printing press, a screw-threaded shaft eooperating with said support and adapted to be so rotated as to move said support in an upwardly direction whereby said sheets are brought successively into feeding positions, driving means for said shaft, includ ing a driving element, a driven element, means for operatively connecting and disconnectingsaid driven element with said driving element, and spring tension means for retaining said driven element, out of engagement with said driving element.

13. A feeding mechanism adapted to be used in .connection with a printing press,

14;. A feeding mechanism. adapted to be used in connection Wlth a printing press,

comprising a support adapted to receive thereupon a stack of work-sheets, means for successively feeding. said sheet-s into the printing, press, a plurality of telescoping screw-threaded shafts cooperating with, said support and adapted to; be so actuatedas to move the same in an upward direction to bring said sheets successively into feeding positions, means for actuating the. said shafts, including a driven clutch element, a driving element for said clutch element, means for moving saiddri-ven clutch element into and out of driving engagement with said driving element, and spring tens'ion means for retaining said driven clutch element in driving engagement with said driving'element- 9 -v 15. A feeding mechanism adapted to'be' used in connectionirvwith. a printing press,

comprising. a support adaptedto receive thereupon a stack of work-sheets, meansfor successively transferringsaid work sheets into' the printing press, a plurality'of screw port and adapted to be so actuated as to so lift said support that the work-sheets carried I thereby are brought successively into feeding positions, means for so operating said shafts as to effect an upward movement of said support including a ratchet wheel, an actuated pawl adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, and means for lifting said pawlout of en a ement with said ratchet wheel to discontinue the support. s I

16. A feeding mechanism adapted to be used in connection with a printing press, comprising a support adapted to receive thereupon a stack of work-sheets, means for upward movement of said Y threaded shafts cooperating with said supsuccessively transferring said work-sheets into the printing press, aplurality of screwthreaded shafts cooperating with said sup ports and adapted to be so actuated as to so lift said support that the worksheets carried thereby are-brought successively'into feed- 1ng-pos1t1ons, means for so operatmg sa d shafts as to effect an upward movement of said support-including a ratchet wheel, an

actuated pawl adapted to engagesaid ratchet wheel, and automatically actuated means for disengaging said pawl from said ratchet wheel when'said support reaches a predetermined velevation.

17. A feeding mechanism adapted tobe used in connection with a printing press,

comprising a support adapted toireceive "of said support including a ratchet wheel,

an actuated paw-ladapted to engage said:

ratchet wheel, means for lifting said pawl j out of engagement with said'ratchet wheel to discontinue the upward movement ofsaid' support, and means adapted to so operate said shafts as to efiect a return of said sup- .portto its lowermost position, the latter named means including a driven clutch element, a' driving element adapted to cooperate with said clutch'element, and means for moving said clutch element into and out of driving engagement with said driving ele-o ment. 7 v

. 18. Afeeding mechanism adapted to beused in connection with a printing press,

comprising a support adapted to receive thereupon a stack of work-sheets, means for successively transferring said work-sheets into the printing press, a plurality of screw threaded shafts cooperating with said support and adapted to be'so actuated as to so lift said support that'the work-sheets carried thereby are brought successively'into, feed-' ing positions, means for so operating the .said shafts as to effect an upward movement of said support including a ratchetwheel, an actuated pawl adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, means for'lifting sai-d pawl out of engagement withsaid ratchet wheel to discontinue the upward movement of said support, means adapted to so operate said shafts as to effect a return ofisaid support to its lowermost position, the latterfnamed means including a driven clutch element, a drlvlng element adapted to cooperate with sald'clutch element, means for moving said clutch element into and out of driving engagementivith said driving element, and means for automatically disengagingsaid driven clutch element when said support reaches a predetermined position in its downward movement. I

In testimony whereof, we have aflixed our signatures to this spccification.

Mosars. LIPTON. Louis HAENLEIN. FREDERICK w. HILL. 

